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Myeik

Myeik (ၿမိတ) sits on a peninsula that juts into the Andaman Sea. With a location roughly halfway between the Middle East and China, not to mention the safe harbor offered by the peninsula and facing islands, Myeik became an important international port over 500 years ago.

The legacy of that long trading history is a multicultural population, with the descendants of Chinese and Indian Muslim traders joined by Bamar, Mon and Moken (sea nomads) people. Myeik's intriguing past is also reflected in its buildings, with grand Sino-Portuguese houses jostling with mosques, churches, traditional wooden homes and colonial-era mansions to create a kaleidoscope of architectural styles. Myeik is still a bustling port today. It's home to a large fishing fleet, as well as being the center of Myanmar's pearl industry, and, along with the port of Kawthoung, is the gateway to the 800-odd islands of the Myeik Archipelago.

Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Myeik.

  • Island

    Pataw Padet Kyun

    Directly opposite Myeik's harbour, this island is named for its two prominent hills. There are no beaches on the island. Instead, a large, hollow reclining buddha, Atula Shwethalyaung, sits close to the boat landing. At 66m, it’s the third-longest reclining buddha in Myanmar, although it is actually hollow with an interior walkway lined with comic-strip-like stories of the Buddha’s past lives. There are two villages on the island and a couple of pagodas that offer decent views across to Myeik.

  • Island

    Kadan Island

    If you want to see an island of the Myeik Archipelago without taking an expensive tour, catch the ferry from Sake Nge Jetty to Kadan Island, an hour from Myeik. Don't expect to find any beaches: Kadan is mostly forest and mangrove swamps (good for birdwatching). The ferry docks in Kyunsu, the 'capital' of Kadan, where there are a handful of simple restaurants. Motorcycle taxi drivers meet the boat and will take you to Nawarat Waterfall for K10,000 return.

  • Buddhist Temple

    Theindawgyi Paya

    Myeik's most venerated Buddhist temple, Theindawgyi Paya sits on a ridge overlooking the city and harbour. A beautiful, Mon-style ordination hall of wood, brick and stucco contains an impressive painted and carved ceiling, a ‘European pose’ buddha towards the front entry, 28 smaller buddhas along its two sides, a large meditation buddha in the centre and a sizeable reclining buddha at the back. A tall gilded stupa stands on a broad platform, allowing excellent views of the city and harbour.

  • Waterfall

    Nawarat Waterfall

    This modest waterfall tumbles down over rocks into a large pool that's fine for swimming. Surrounded by forested hills and overlooked by a couple of small pagodas, it's a scenic spot and popular with the locals for picnics. The 7km journey here from the jetty at Kyunsu is picturesque in its own right, following narrow, winding roads that pass through some of Kadan's villages.

  • Landmark

    Myeik Harbour

    Myeik's big harbourfront is worth a stroll to watch stevedores loading and offloading cargo from ships and the fishing boats preparing to go to sea. At night, it's pretty when the boats have their lights on.

  • Buddhist Temple

    Bu Paya Zedi

    One of Myeik's many hilltop temples with views over the harbour and town, Bu Paya Zedi also has an appealingly abandoned feel and an abundance of mouldy, crumbling statues.

  • Market

    Sake Nyein Zei

    Myeik's municipal market is a colourful collection of enclosed stalls covering an entire city block.

  • Landmark

    Clock Tower

    Myeik's clock tower has gone digital, when the clock is working, and sits in the heart of town close to the market.